DEADHEAD® DARK CHOCOLATE RUM

Long, long ago, deep in the jungles within 40 degrees north of the equator, the Mayans and

Aztecs, as a ritualistic and indulgent beverage, used Cacao. This addictive concoction was

coveted and revered; it was seen as possessing aphrodisiac and revitalizing powers; while

the actual Cacao beans were so precious they were used as money.

Great lords of the Maya culture cultivated large Cacao plantations. The buying power of

Cacao was such that a dozen beans more than sufficed to purchase a slave or procure

an evening of pleasure with a prostitute. Cacao was also used medicinally to alleviate

abdominal pain, as an antidote for poison and as a medium for administering other

remedies. When made from green cacao, the drink was considered a potent hallucinogen

Its ritual importance even existed in the most sacred of ceremonies; human sacrifice. Cacao

was the last drink of life given to sacrificial victims to calm them before they faced the

obsidian knife on the alter.

Cacao has captivated humanity with its exotic flavor and sensuous mouth feel. Its scientific

name (Theobroma Cacao) translates to the Food of the Gods; and is one of Mexico’s many

culinary gifts to the world. Like rum, chocolate is a product of tropical Veracruz, and, like

sugarcane, Cacao plants are highly affected by the specific terroir in which they are grown.

Not only is Veracruz recognized as the cradle of high-quality rum due to its proximity to the

Gulf of Mexico and its warm trade winds, it is also where the earliest evidence of Cacao use

known today was found dating back to 1800 B.C.

Deadhead® Dark Chocolate Rum was inspired by ancient recipes used by Mayan and Aztec

Emperors. Rich, full-bodied, five-year-old rum is infused with locally sourced, decadently

dark, slow roasted Cacao. The delicate infusion process enhances the natural qualities of

the aged rum, allowing the chocolate and rum to exist in perfect balance. Deadhead® Dark

Chocolate Rum at 80 proof opens up with rich chocolate notes and plays nicely alongside

caramel and vanilla without expected sweetness. It mixes well with others and is so easy to

drink neat that even the most sophisticated liquor connoisseur can enjoy.

The shrunken head monkey vessel housing this world-class rum pays homage to the ancient

spiritual beliefs of the Maya and Aztec cultures. The Popol Vuh (Quiché Maya book of

creation) suggests that Cacao was one of the few ingredients used to create human beings.

The human heart was seen as a metaphor for Cacao, both the heart and the Cacao pod

served as containers of divine fluids: blood and chocolate.

According to Maya and Aztec mythology, there were two attempts at creating humans. The

first attempt (from wood and mud) became monkeys and was destined to live among the

trees like Cacao pods, while the creations of the second attempt (from Cacao) successfully

Deadhead® Dark Chocolate Rum 40% alc/vol (80 proof) is imported by Iconic Brands Inc.,

Industry, CA. Available Fall 2014. www.deadheadrum.com.

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